Bending machine for bending plates or strips of sheet metal



H. c. DREIS BENDING MACHINE FOR BENDING PLATES OR STRIPS OF SHEET METAL Fild Aug. 19. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,585

H. c. DREIS BENDING MACHINE FOR BENDING PLATES OR STRIPS OF SHEET METAL E iled Aug. 19, 1925 4Eheets-Sheet 2 06) Inventor Herman C. Dre/J6 Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,585

H. c. DREps BENDING MACHINE FOR BENDING PLATES 0R STRIPS OF SHEET METAL Filed Aug. 19, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor fierman C. Drew's Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,585

H. c. DREIS 'BENDING MACHINE FOR BENDING PLATES OR STRIPS OF SHEET METAL Invenor Herman CDrelJ.

Patented Eco. ll, 192$.

HERMAN C. D'REIS, O13 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed August 19, 1925.

This invention relates to machines for bending plates and strips of sheet metal by means or dies.

Among the objects of the invention is to obtain a. bending machine whereby large plates or sheets of metal, and also sheet metal strips, may be bent to conform or substantially con'lorn'i to the dies on the machine; said dies being relatively adjustable to the di'herent thicknesses of metal desired to be bent. An additional object of the invention is to obtain means to adjust one of the dies thereof relative to the other, so that when a plate of sheet metal extending a substantial length of the dies is to be bent, one end of the bend obtained conforms to the dies and the other end of said bend substantially conterms thereto. An additional object is to obtain a machine whereby, when the dies thereof extend substantially the length of the machine, and the metal plate to be bent extends substantially the length of the (lies, and is of considerable thickness. said dies will remain in their adjusted position, and withst nd great strain or pressure thereon, without buckling, warping. or otherwise changing: their relative adjustment. An additional object is to obtain a bending machine whereby great force may be applied on the metal between the dies, which is being bent by the approach of the movable die of the machine towards the adjusted, nonmovable die. An additional. object is to obtain a bending machine in the manipulation whereof. including the adjustment and operation of the several parts, is readily understood and effectedby workmen accustomed to bend sheet metal. An additional object is to obtain a bending machine comprising few parts, reference being had to the adjustments obtainable and the strength and rigidity required a machine which is economically constructed, durable. not liable to break and get out of order, and readily erected.

In the drawings referred to,

Fig. l is a front elevation of a machine embodying the invention, with. portions o1 plates thereon broken away to expose movable parts to view.

Fifi. 2 is a vertical sectional view, on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, viewed as indicatedby arrows, showing movable parts at one end of the machine. in a determined position, with the i'uovable die member 01"? the machine advanced.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on line Serial No. filfal l 33 of Fig. 1, viewed as indicated by arrows, showing the movable parts illustrated in Fig. 2, in a different position than in said Fig. 2, with the movable die member of the machine retracted.

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 55 of 1, viewed as indicated by arrows, showin the die members of the machine and adjacent parts on which they are mounted.

6 is a horizontal section on line 6-45 of Fig. 1, viewed as indicated by arrows, showing the plates forming the ends of the machine, the lower die member and the movable parts controlling the vertical adjustment of said. die member.

Fig. '4' is a diagrammatic view of the brake of the machine and associated parts.

A reference character applied to designate a given part indicates said part throughout the several figures of the drawing, wherever the same appears.

1, 2, respectively represent a vertical plate; said plates forming the ends of the machine. Plates 1 and 2- are substantially parallel. 3, 4, are parallel, vertically adjustable, die sup porting plates. 3, a, respectively represent guide members, which are secured to plate 2, at the ends of the machine, to retain plates 3, 41:, in vertical planes, while permittingsaid ends to be adjusted vertically. 5 represents a plate positioned between plates 3 and (l. 6, 7, respectively represent connecting pins which extend through plates 3, and l. The plates 3 and i are supported on connecting pins 6 and *Z. The plate 5 is provided with ends 8, and is adjustably supported by the under horizontal faces thereof resting; on blocks 9, in which bloclrs the upper ends of vertical screws 10 are non-rotatably secured. 11 represent worm wheels, which are, respectively provided with hubs 12. 12' represent bars which are rigidly secured in position between plates 1 and 2, and the lower end of hubs 12 rest on said bars 12 said hubs be ing supported thereby. Hubs 12 are provided with internal screw threads corresponding with and fitting to the external screw threads on vertical screw 10. The screw 10 being non-rotatable the rotation of wheel 11 and its hub 12, in one or the other direction, raises and lowers screw 10 and plate 5., together with plates 3 and 4, which, as recited, are connected to plate 5, by connecting pins 6 and '4", and thereby supported by said plate 5. 13 represent rivets which extend through plates 3, 4. and 5, adjacent to the edges of said plates. The apertures in plates 3 and a, through which said rivets extend are, respectively, of greater diameter than the diameters of said rivets, so that limited movement of plates 3 and 4:, relative to plate 5, when the die (hereinafter described) supported thereby is under pressure, may occur. The respective ends of plate are vertically adjustable by means of wheel 11, hub 12, screw 10, and block 9: and the mechanism whereby said wheel 11 and hub 12 are rotated, at each end of the machine, comprises the worm 1 which enpages with the teeth of worm wheel 11; the shaft 15, on which worm. 11 is rigidly mount ed; gear wheel 16, pinion 1?, gear wheel 18, pinion 19, and motor 20. Pinion 19 is rigidly mounted on the shaft of motor 20 so that the teeth thereof engage with the teetl of wheel 18. Wheel 18 is rigidly mounted on shaft 21, see Fig. 6, and pinion 17 is loosely mounted on said shaft- 21. The hub 22 of pin ion 1? is provided with a notch or recess 23, with which the clutch member 24. is engageable, and engagement is obtain .d by means of lever 25 moving said member 2st on shaft 21. Clutch member 2 1, while rotatable with shaft 21 is movable thereon. The teeth of pinion 17 engage with the teeth of wheel 16. ll heel 16 is rigidly mounted on shaft 15, as is also the worm 1 1. Shaft 15 is rotatably mounted in end plates 1 and 2. By the above recited means, when motor 20 is energized, shaft 21 is rotated and when clutch member at at one end of the machine, is engaged with notch 23 of hub 22 on pinion 17, said pinion 17, wheel 16, shaft 15, vorm 1d and worm wheel 11, with its hub 12, are all rotated, said hub 12 in its rotation raising or lowering said screw 10, block 9 and plate 5 resting thereon.

By operating lever and clutch member 24:, at the other end of the machine said other end of plate 5 is raised or lowered in the same way as last above described. The electric conductors of motor 20, not shown, by means of which said motor is energized, are provided with an ordinary reverse switch, also not shown, to permit rotation of the shaft of said motor to the rightor to the left, as required, to raise or lower vertical screw 10, block 9, supported thereby, and plate 5, resting on said block. The foregoing described means of independently raising or lowering the ends of plate 5 is for the purpose of permitting, when a long or wide sheet of n etal is to be bent by the dies, hereinafter described, one end of said sheet, or one er. l of the width thereof, to be bent to closely conform to the faces of the dies, and the other end, or the other side, to be bent to losely conform thereto; or said plates may be adjusted at their ends so that the bend in said sheet of metal will closely conform to said dies throughout the length or width thereof. 26. 27, and 28, respectively represent parallel plates which are joined by rivets 13 see Figs. 1 and 5, adjacent to the edges thereof, in the same manner that plates 5 and i; are joined, by rivets 13. The central 1 ate, 28, is upported on the connecting: pins 6*, and 7. which extend through said plates 26, 2? and 28.

When the machine is in operation the vertical plates 21'', 28, together with a die hereinafter described, and mounted on plate 28, is moved vertically downward from its initial position illustrated in FL 1 and 3, on to the sheet metal between said die and a lower die, into substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 2, and then back to said initial position. The mechanism by which said movement of said upper die is obtained will now be described.

2, 1, represents a shaft which is rotatably mounted in journal bearings secured in vertical plates 1 and 2, at one end of the machine. 30 represents a clutch member which is keyed to shaft to rotate therewith, and to be longitudinally movable thereon, by means of lever 31, link 32 and lever 33. the pedal 3% and connecting rod 35. The lever 31 is pivotally mounted on fulcrum 3?, and is joined to link 3'; by pivot 38. Lever 33 is pivoted on fulcrum 39 at one end, and at the other end is pivotally joined to linlr and to connection of pedal 34, by pivot 10. The pivots 37 and 39, extend through apertures in curved member il, said curved memher being secured at its upper end to vertical plate 1 by rivets 12, see F 1, and at its lower end secured to said plate 1 by corresponding rivets. 4-3 represents a wheel which is loosely mounted on shaft 29. and 4:4, i, a belt by means of which said wheel. is rotated. represents the hub of wheel. and said hub is provided with a clutch member 16, with which the clutch member 30 is cngageable. it represents a pivot by means of which lever 31 is joined to clutch member 130; and when pedal 3s is lowered connection 35 is thereby lowered, the end of link 32, joined to said connection by pivot i0, is moved around pivot 39 in an arc, the radius whereof is lever 33, and thereby pivot 38 moved towards the left as the same is illustrated in Fig. 1, moving the lower end of lever 31 and also pivot 47, to the left, thereby moving clutch member 30 to the left and into engagement with clutch member as on hub of wheel d3. 'ilhe rotation of wheel s3 is thereupon, by means of clutch members 46 and 30 transmitted to shaft 29. represents a gear wheel rigidly mounted on shaft 19. 19 represents a shaft extending the entire length of the machine, and rotatably mounted in ournals 50, which secured in vertical plates 2. 51 represent .ear wheels which are rigidly mounted on shaft 29, and 52 represent gear wheels rigid llU - gear wheels 51.

ly mounted on shaft l9, to intermesh with Teeth of gear wheels as intermesh with the teeth of the large gear wheels 53. Gear wheels 53 are rigidly mounted on shaft 545, and said shaft is journalled in plates 1, 2. 55 represents an eccentric which is rigidly mounted on rotatable shaft 54. 56, 57 represent a connection one end of which extends around the eccentric 55 and the other end is pivotally mounted on the shaft 7 3 of the toggle joint hereinafter described. To enable me to remove member 56, 57, from eccentric 55, the part 57 of "the connection is secured to part 56 thereof by bolts 58 and 59. 60, Figs. 1 and 8, represent a brake wheel which is rigidly mounted on shaft 19, and 61 a spring brake band which is loosely mounted at one end on pivot 62 and at the other end on pivot 63, which extends through arm or spoke 6%. Arm 64 is rigidly secured to shaft 65. 66 represents an arm or spoke which is rigidly secured to shaft 65, 67' represents a connection which, at its upper end is loosely connected to arm 66 by pivot 68, and at its lower end to connection 35, by pivot 40. By means of this connection 67 when the pedal 34 is depressed, and connec tion 35 thereby moved downwardly, connection 67 also is moved downward, moving pivot 68 downward, and turning shaft so that arm 64 and pivot 63 are raised, thusreleasing spring brake band 61 from brake wheel 60. When pedal 34 is released it is returned to its initial and raised position by the spring brake band 61; connections 35 and 67 are moved longitudinally upwards; arm 66, shaft 65 and arm 6% are moved, the pivot 63 descends and spring brake band 61 comes in contact with brake wheel 60, to form a brake thereon, and prevent said wheel from becoming jarred around.

As the pedal 34: is depressed to cause clutch member 30 to engage with clutch member l6 and operate the machine to move the upper die of the machine from its initial position and return, as will be hereinafter described, the brake band 61 is released from brake wheel 60, as said clutch members are engaged and the machine operated; and when said pedal is released and is returned to its initial and raised position, bythe spring brake band 61, releasing clutch members 30 and d6, said spring brake band 61 returns to contact with brake wheel 60, thereby holding shaft 49 from rotating.

69 represents a shaft on which member 70 of a toggle joint is pivotally mounted. The ends of shaft 69 extend through plates 1 and 2 and block 71, see Fig. 1. 72 represents the lower member of the toggle joint and 73 the short shaft pivotally joining members 70 and 72. The lower end of member 72 is joined to head 74-. by pivot 75. Head. 7st and the upper edges of plate and plate 27 are provided with like recesses, into which the ends of connections 7 6 extend, as is well illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and the connections 7 6 are rigidly held in said recesses by bolts 77. Plates 26 and 27 are thus suspended on the lower members 72 of the toggle joint. When the members 70, 72, of the toggle joint are moved from the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 3, into the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the heads 74, connections 76, plates 26, 27, and the central plate 28, are moved downward, and on the return of said members 70, 72, to their initial position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, said heads 74, connections 76 and plate members 26, 27 and 28 are moved upwards. Tomaintain plates 26, 2'? and 28 in vertical planes when said upward movement occurs, I provide shaft 78 with roller 7 9 rotatable thereon, the ends of said shafts 7 8 extending through apertures provided therefor in plates 1 and 2; said shafts 78 being positioned so that the periphery of said rollers 7 9 will be in contactwith the face of plate 27. 80 represents a block which is mounted on vertical plates 3 and 4t. 81 represents an additional block which is mounted on block 80, and 82 represents a die which is mounted on block 81. 83 represents a die which is secured on the lower edge of vertical plate 28. Broken lines 84, Fig. 3, indicate a sheet or strip of metal between dies 82 and 83. to be bent by said dies as die 83 is moved downward from the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 3 to the position illustrated in F 2. 85 represents an oil receptacle or guard, having upturned edges, which extend around the gear wheels 51 and 52. This oil receptacle 85 is designed to hold sufficient oil in the lower end thereof to effectually lubricate the teeth of said wheel, 51, and to prevent the loss of said oil, by centrifugal force in the rotation of said wheels 51 and 52.

By the use of three plates, 26, 27 and 28, the pressure bearing plate 28 is prevented from buckling or warping out of a vertical plane, and by supporting said plate 28 on shafts 6 the bottom edge thereof will withstand great pressure without being deflected from a horizontal plane. By supporting the lower die 82 on plates 3 and 4t, separated by plate 5, the buckling or warping of said plates 3 and 4-. is prevented, and by supporting said plates 3 and t on shafts 6, the upper ends or edges of said plates remain in a horizontal plane when the die 82 and bases 81 and 80 are subjected to great pressure.

I claim:

1. In a bending machine, parallel vertical plates, connecting pins extending through said plates, means to vertically adjust and maintain said plates in adjusted position, in combination with a die mounted on the upper edges of the outside ones of said plates, additional. plat-es, connecting pins extending through said additional plat-es, a (lie mounted on the lower edge of the middle one of said additional plates, and means to move the said additional plates vertically.

In a bending machine, parallel vertical plates, connecting pins extending through said plates, means to vertically adjust and maintain said plates inadjusted position, said means comprising a nonrotatable vertical screw, a wheel provided with a hub rotatably mounted on said screw, said hub provided with internal screw threads corresponding with and fitting on the screw threads on said vertical screw, a rigid horizontal member on which the lower end of said hub is mounted, and means to turn said wheel and hub in a determined direction, in combination with a die mounted on the upper edges of the outside ones of said plates, an additional die movably mounted to co-act with said first named die, and means to move said additional die vertically.

3. In a bending machine, parallel vertical plates, connecting pins extending through said plates, means comprising a nonrotatable vertical screw, a worm wheel provided with an internally screw threaded central aperture rotatably mounted on said vertical screw, a rigid horizontal member on which said worm wheel is supported, a worm rigidly mounted on a rotatable shaft engaged with said worm wheel, a motor to rotate the shaft thereof to turn in a determined direction, gears connecting said motor shaft with the she; t of said worm and clutch members interposed in said gears, to vertically adjust and maintain said plates in adjusted position, in combination with a die mounted on the upper edges of the outside ones of said plates, an additional die movably mounted toi'co-act with said first named die, and means to move said additional die vertically.

-12. in a bending machine, parallel vertical plates, connecting pins extending through said plates, means to independently adjust and maintain the ends of said plates in a vertical plane, in combination with a die mounted on the upper edges of the outside ones of said plates, an additional die arranged to co-act with said first named die, and means to move said additional die in a vertical plane.

5. In a bending machine, parallel vertical plates, connecting pins extending through said plates, the outer ones of said plates beingsupported on said connecting pins, in combination with means to independently adjust and maintain the ends of said plates in a vertical plane, a die mounted on the upper edges of said outer ones of said plates, an additional die movably mounted to coact with said first named die and means to move said additional die vertically.

6. in a bending machine, parallel vertical plates, connecting pins extending through said plates, the outer ones of said plates being supported on said connecting pins, additional vertical plates, additional connecting pins extending through said additional plates, the inner one of said additional plates supported on said additional connecting pins, in combination with a die mounted on the outer ones of said first named plates and an additional die arranged to co-act with said first named die, said additional die mounted on the central one of said additional plates, and means to move said additional plates in a vertical plane.

7. In a bending machine, parallel vertical plates, connecting pins extending through said plates, the outer ones of said plates being supported on said connecting pins, means to adjust said plates in a vertical plane, additional vertical plates, additional connecting pins extending through said additional plates, the inner one of said additional plates supported on said additional connecting pins, in combination with a. die mounted on the outer ones of said first named plates and an additional die arranged to co-act with said first named die, said additional die mounted on the inner one of said additional plates, and means to move said additional plates.

8. In a bending machine, parallel vertical plates, connecting pins extending through said plates, the outer ones of said platesbeing supported on said connecting pins, means to independently adjust and maintain the ends of said plates in a vertical plane, additional vertical plates, additional connecting pins extending through said additional plates, the inner one of said additional plates supported on said additional connecting pins, in combination with means to move the outer ones of said additional plates in a vertical plane, a die member mounted on the outer ones of said first named plate and an additional die member mounted on the inner one of said additional plates and arrznged to co-act with said first named die member.

9. In a bending machine, parallel vertical plates, connecting pins extending through said plates, the inner one of said plates being supported on said connecting pins, means to move said plates, said means comprising toggle joints, the lower ends of the lower members of said toggle joints being pivotally joined to the outer plates, eccentrics, connections between said eccentrics and said toggle joint, means to rotate said eccentrics, a die mounted on said plates, and an additional die rigidly mounted to coact With said first named die, all combined as set forth.

10. In a bending machine, parallel plates arranged to form the ends of the frame of the machine, a shaftextending the length of the machine and rotatably mounted in journal hearings in the ends of said frame, in combination with additional shafts respectively rotatably mounted in journal hearings on said parallel plates, eccentrics rigidly mounted on said additional shafts, intermeshing gear Wheels on said first named shaft and on said additional shafts, a toggle joint, a connection between said eccentrics, respectively, and the pivotal joining of the members of the toggle joint, a die mounted on said ends of the frame, heads, pivotal connections between said heads and the lower members of said toggle joints, plates secured to and depending from said heads, and an additional die mounted on said plates and ar anged to coact with said first named die.

HERMAN C. DREIS. 

